Final Conference of the Main Phase: Transitions – Past, present and future of Sustainable Governance in Africa

Since its inception in 2018, fellows and participants of various MIASA activities generated valuable insights into the interplay between sustainable governance and societies, cultures and politics in Africa and beyond. Scholars from various disciplines collaborated to address contemporary and historical issues, providing compelling analyses within the framework of MIASA’s ‘Sustainable Governance’ research programme.

The conference, which marks the end of the six-year main funding phase (2020-2026) by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), provides a valuable opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved so far. MIASA’s starting point was to promote research perspectives and voices from the African continent and the Global South on Sustainable Governance within a global academic landscape that is still dominated by the Global North. Therefore, taking stock of the scientific results of the main funding phase begins with the question of whether this has been achieved, and if so, how. Has MIASA contributed to challenging dominant theories and concepts related to sustainable governance that originated in the Global North? What lessons can be learned to further develop MIASA?

The sessions convened by (former) MIASA fellows will be enriched by several keynote speeches and roundtables. All participants are highly esteemed and recognised scholars in their respective fields of research. Their contributions will be particularly important for the further development of MIASA. One roundtable will feature participants from the other four Merian Centres, providing an opportunity to strengthen cooperation within the Merian family further.

Keynote Speakers:

Thomas Kwasi Tieku (University of Ghana)
Joseph Asunka (Afrobarometer)
Andrea Behrends (University of Leipzig)
Francis Nyamnjoh (University of Cape Town)

The conference also aligns closely with the University of Ghana’s 2026 Day of Scientific Renaissance of Africa, which has the theme of “Equitable Development: Research, Collaborate, Empower”. MIASA’s commitment to promoting African and Global South perspectives on sustainable governance highlights the significance of inclusive knowledge production, interdisciplinary collaboration and empowering scholars and institutions to influence globally significant research agendas. Therefore, the conference not only reviews past achievements, but also contributes to ongoing efforts to promote more equitable and transformative futures through research and intellectual exchange.

This conference is open to the public.

For online participation via Zoom, please use the following link:

https://uni-frankfurt.zoom-x.de/j/68947740680?pwd=y0fOi5Fkl0YuuRrFXGyPfshKKz8pxH.1
Meeting-ID: 689 4774 0680
Code: 443729